Fisher: No raise for C.J. on the horizon

“It’s way too premature to say we have any intention of doing anything for C.J.,” Fisher said Thursday. “Everybody wants more money. … And we can all understand why he wants more money. He had a record-breaking year…but he has also made a commitment to us as we have to him.”

Ironically, Johnson does a pretty good job of explaining why the Titans are in no rush to give him a raise.

“If I get so many carries or anything like that, a running back doesn’t play for as many years and a lot of times you don’t have time to play a whole contract out,” he said. “So you’ve got to get it when you can.”

The problem is, despite his monster ’09 campaign, Johnson has little leverage. The Titans have also historically not addressed players’ deals until contract years. C.J. has a long way to go before then.

Johnson would also be more of a team player if he encouraged the Titans to use their funds on upgrading a secondary that was routinely gashed throughout last season.

Cant blame CJ for asking for a raise, but he’s not getting one this year and the Titans are under no pressure to give him a raise.

EdgarSnyder says:Feb 4, 2010 9:27 PM

posturing so he’ll take less than fmv.
might backfire on you fishy.
kid is a possible hall of famer.

SuperSkinsFan21 says:Feb 4, 2010 9:27 PM

GO get your money Chris. Beat it on out of s-burgh of the south.

KingKunal says:Feb 4, 2010 9:51 PM

Zack22 says:
February 4, 2010 9:26 PM
Cant blame CJ for asking for a raise, but he’s not getting one this year and the Titans are under no pressure to give him a raise.
Thanks for summerizing the post for us all!

favre uses allens mullet as handlebars says:Feb 4, 2010 9:51 PM

Moneys ruining the god damn game just like it has boxing.

dacdaveas says:Feb 4, 2010 10:09 PM

“the problem is, despite his monster ’09 campaign, Johnson has little leverage.”
Ever heard of “holding out”? Lets see how happy the titans are when that happens…and if they dont pay him i bet that will happen. He’s only the best running back in the league. Call the Titans bluff all day long..

salty says:Feb 4, 2010 10:10 PM

sooooo with josh cribbs its all “pay the man”… but with CJ.. it’s ok for him to finish out the contract. hmmm

doe22us says:Feb 4, 2010 10:21 PM

dacdaveas says:
February 4, 2010 10:09 PM
“the problem is, despite his monster ’09 campaign, Johnson has little leverage.”
Ever heard of “holding out”?
HEY HAVE YOU HEARD THAT THE TITANS CAN AND WILL TAKE AWAY ANY SIGNING BONUS HE MIGHT HAVE EARNED OR ANY LANGUAGE INCLUDED IN THE CONTRACT WHICH WILL PENALIZE HIM FOR WITHOLDING SERVICES. LITTLE OR NO LEVERAGE FOR A GUY IN HIS SECOND YEAR. PLAY ON CHRIS YOUR TIME WILL COME JUST NOT NOW

GhostofFlorioPast says:Feb 4, 2010 10:21 PM

He wanted the carries to get the record, but he doesn’t understand that the carries will shorten his career and earning potential? Tough titty if you’re worn out before you get the monster contract – you wanted the fame.

Big_Monkey says:Feb 4, 2010 10:27 PM

Here’s an idea:
How about they stop giving these snot-nosed rookies these outlandish contracts and save that money for those players that have proven themselves and are among the elite in the league?
Chris Johnson has earned it and is arguably the best RB in the game right now. The NFL should create a system that rewards elite players more and unproven rookies less.

SuperSkinsFan21 says:Feb 4, 2010 10:29 PM

Joe Pesci said it best when he said, “F U pay me.”

rtl334 says:Feb 4, 2010 10:35 PM

Did Emmitt not have leverage when he held out in 1993? Look how that turned out. I’m not a fan of the huge money being thrown around but this guy is the best gamebreaker in the the game. If the Titans think they can play hardball and go without CJs record-breaking production then all the power to them.

dEV says:Feb 4, 2010 10:44 PM

As a first-round draft pick, Johnson got a five-year, $12 million contract with $7 million guaranteed. He’s averaging $2.4 million a year. While that’s grossly underpaid for what he did this season, it was more than reasonable for his production last year, splitting time with Lendale.
Coming out of the draft, many analysts thought the Titans wasted their first pick on him (some even thought the Titans could’ve got him in the same spot in the second), and that he was a “workout warrior” with great combine numbers that would probably be a bust.
CJ has to remember that if the Titans hadn’t basically “reached” to take him in the first round, he almost certainly would’ve dropped to the second. He’d most likely be in a worse situation, making less money with fewer opportunities.
Next season is his chance to prove that this year wasn’t just a fluke, and if he can do that, he should get paid.

HarrisonHits says:Feb 4, 2010 10:46 PM

The team should not give this kid a new contract yet. If they do and he plays well in 2 years he’ll be whining for another new contract and screaming to anyone who’ll listen how horribly treated he’s being by the team.
@salty,
Whenever I’ve commented about Cribbs its been to say no way they should pay him. These kids need to play out their rookie contracts for which they are already being paid in the upper 1% of the income earning many of which who got multi-million dollar signing bonuses in addition to their game pay. They need to realize how fortunate they are at a time when half the country and a lot of rest of the world is in financial meltdown.

Sourdough says:Feb 4, 2010 10:49 PM

Dear Chris Johnson,
Playing in the NFL is a privilege, not a right. If you don’t like the contract you are playing for you have but a few options, quit and get a real job (you will never sniff what you make now considering you scored a 10 on the Wunderlic), blame yourself (and your agent) for signing a five year contract that gave you $7 million guaranteed (what a slap in the face), kick @$$ on the field again next year and then try and renegotiate your contract, or continue to try and convince middle class America that your salary is a slap in the face.
Sincerely,
Reality

mannyfresh209 says:Feb 4, 2010 10:59 PM

you make an outstanding point dev.
he split carries last year with lendale and still got over 1200 yds rushing. hmm

cobrala2 says:Feb 4, 2010 11:08 PM

I think teams want their cake and eat it too:
we all know RBs these days have VERY limited shelf lives. GMs know this as well – they will stall as long as possible and pay RBs last second.
CJ will get (comparitively) nothing.
Not saying his current contract was unfair but damn if Fisher doesn’t sound senile lately!? He didn’t have to say ANYTHING. It’s the Titans offseason.

scrapdawg12 says:Feb 4, 2010 11:36 PM

Do it for the love of the game. Not the money. How would some of these players survive if they were only given a few thousand dollars a year like the players of the past were given. They’d probably crap themselves if they got a measly 50 grand or something like that. The game has gotten out of hand with these guys getting money. Most of them are thugs and all they do is use the money to get into trouble. The NFL needs a one strike policy. One strike against you and your out. CJ looks like a pot head. I’ve read stories on him but so far he’s clean. We’ll see in the future if he likes to “party” like Randy Moss used to.

CAN PEOPLE PLEASE STOP REFERRING TO PLAYERS BY THEIR FREAKING INITIALS???
They have names! USE THEM!

Rwt2 says:Feb 4, 2010 11:55 PM

“Do it for the love of the game…”
“Playing for the NFL is a privilege, not a right…”
WTF? You two must be kidding. Do you two own companies or do you work for someone? Do you stick up for (not your boss, not your boss’s boss, or their boss, but the CEO/Owner) when you have a dispute with your company? When, tell me when, that management in sports did anything for you at a discount? When? Never.
The problem now isn’t the athletes, it’s the sad sad systems that the owners are pushing. They (the owners) wanted a salary cap back in 1992/1993, it was this that ultimately gave the NFL free agency (with tagged players, mind you) they gave up 59% of revenue, but now there is a money problem? After almost two decades the problem exists now? Wait, wasn’t one of the first cut players after the 1993 agreement Phil Simms? (Super Bowl QB that was actually kind of good, but was paid at a rate that was too high for the new salary cap) Was this what the players wanted? No. Is this system flawed? Yes.
Chris Johnson wants to get paid a higher rate, why not? When he was drafted, he wasn’t a top five pick, so the big money, really big money, was gone. He earned the cash, pay him. Anyone that wants to get paid, that actually earned the cash, deserves it due to the fact that so many players that cannot earn their cash (LT, anyone?) after a few years with the new contract. If Chris Johnson gets the cash, he can still get dropped immediately, can Chris Johnson declare that he is a free agent after each season? NO.
You rubes that think that the players are the problem are part of the problem. Management would move its team any day if they had the chance, it’s not as if the new Texas Stadium is in Irving. The Colts held Indy hostage for a new stadium, otherwise they’d be the LA Colts. (Which would make more sense due to horse racing actually happening in LA) Also, the team that Chris Johnson plays for was originated in….Houston. Get a clue, wear your colors, but get a clue, your team has no commitment to you, if you don’t show up anymore, the team will leave. If Tennessee doesn’t pay Chris Johnson but pays slow WR’s and QB’s with only decent arms or slightly better than average, well, enjoy what you have.

Sheriff04 says:Feb 4, 2010 11:56 PM

No leverage clearly means he has no leverage.
And don’t say he can just hold out. That Johnson just won’t play until he gets a new deal.
Because look at it this way.. He’s making 500k a year, maybe it will get a bit bigger each year but regardless its close to minimum pay for the NFL, so Titans are not worried about how much they owe him.
So if he wants to hold out look what happens CJ can find out for himself what will happen.
This is 2010, he’s signed till 2013, so thats 3 years. If he wants to holdout, he can make like 2 mil – minus fines and stuff in the 3 years. And then never getting that deal he wants after 3 years have passed and not playing.
If he plays and continues to do good, he warrants a reason to get paid. If Titans hold off till the end of his contract, that may piss him off enough to send him out of Tennessee. But if he continues in the next year or two at the high level he’s at, he will probably sign a new big contract with a year left. Cause its unlikely he’d turn down a big money contract for another year of low pay, and then having to find “another” team to dish a big contract out.
So Johnson’s best choice is to continue to play and do well. Tennessee has the leverage because Johnson is signed for 3 more years, and has only played 2 years. He’s been very impressive, but they want consistency every year, and they’ll use that to their advantage. If for any reason he slips in the next few years, including if its by injuries, the Titans will have saved money. Because they didn’t have to pay him big money while he was injured, and the contract he’d sign in the future won’t be as big if he signed one now.
Johnson will be playing next year, he won’t be holding out, or it will hurt him and not the Titans. Johnson has a very big future ahead of him (it looks like it anyways) so he’s not going to be stupid and throw that all away, thats why he has an agent you see.. Yes if he was stupid and held out that Titans would feel a pinch, but with someone like CJ who like I said, looks to have a promising career, thats a terrible approach that can kill that type of career.
Johnson just needs to continue what he’s doing – and even if his stats drop due to teams stacking the box and stuff, it should allow Vince to be more of a threat, which in the end, helps the Titans succeed, and CJ is a part of that. He just needs to hope he can prove he is still a threat (and I have no doubt he won’t), whether he is moving the chains or drawing defenders up close, and also hope to avoid injury.
If he can do that and avoid any significant injury he’ll get paid. Sometimes its just bad luck that kills your opportunity to get paid like you could of, but thats the part of the business and currently the Titans have position. It’s just like poker, when you have position, you have an advantage, but CJ needs to understand its way of life, but so far so good, 1 or 2 years to go.
And the other thing is the Titans also have an advantage if CJ gets pissed off. There is no way he will hold out for 3 straight years. But if they get 2 more great years out of CJ, and still don’t want to put a ton of money into him.. CJ may get pissed off. The beauty though, is he can’t walk away just yet. So Tennessee have a good chance of trading him and getting good draft picks in return.

Sourdough says:Feb 5, 2010 12:33 AM

@Rwt2: I’m ‘flattered’ you quoted me in your rant…but are you really trying to make the point that Chris Johnson has a RIGHT to play in the NFL!?!
If Chris Johnson doesn’t feel his time and effort as a RB for the Titans is worth his time, he really is free to pursue a career outside of the NFL. After all, this is America. Chris Johnson can pursue any career he chooses…but nothing is guaranteed. Nothing!
When will people learn that the NFL is a business and not a game!?!

Rwt2 says:Feb 5, 2010 12:58 AM

Sourdough, how many people line up and pay to see you work? Get a clue…

rraider says:Feb 5, 2010 2:07 AM

Ok course the system is flawed but……
you cant have a play for pay based on every carry, catch, pass, sack, tackle, FG,…….thats going to be updated like fantasy football.
the system, like life, is always going to have some that have done more than expected and other that have had a down year. the age old salary vs hourly lifestyle. if you want the security of the long term deal with gaurantees when you may or may not have the leverage than live with it when you dont have the leverage.
Or go texas college football and show up after the game in the locker room and start handing out cash per tackle,INt, fumble, TD, rec,………
and give everyone the same base pay…rookie or vet……

KeepDaNFLnSTL says:Feb 5, 2010 7:49 AM

SuperSkinsFan21 says:
February 4, 2010 10:29 PM
Joe Pesci said it best when he said, “F U pay me.”
Actually, in “Good Fellas” that was Ray Liotta that said that…
Signed,
Tommy DeVito

StevenM says:Feb 5, 2010 8:11 AM

His contract should of had incentives it in. Say, 2,000 yard season, $2M bonus. Of course, he wouldn’t get that many carries to do that.

Buck Stallion says:Feb 5, 2010 8:29 AM

rtl334 said
“Did Emmitt not have leverage when he held out in 1993? ”
Emmitt played out his contract. He was not under contract, so he wasn’t really holding out. Johnson can be fined because he is under contract.

JoeBrowns027 says:Feb 5, 2010 8:45 AM

@ClownBurger
Excuse me sir. Seeing as how the VP is such a VIP, shouldn’t we keep the PC on the QT, because if it leaks to the VC, you could end up an MIA, and then we’d all be put on KP.
Signed,
Adrian Cronauer

blacktoothgrin says:Feb 5, 2010 9:22 AM

It may be too simple, but they should really just give him a bonus. Give him a couple million extra as a thanks for such good work this season. In reality that’s how it should be. You set team/league records you get a bonus. You’re in the top 10% at your position, you get a bonus You throw a bunch of interceptions or you fumble a lot, no soup for you.

Sourdough says:Feb 5, 2010 12:23 PM

@Rwt2: Funny you ask. I actually do have people who pay to watch me work, although I can assure you I am not a professional football player.
Let me start by saying that I believe Chris Johnson is the best RB in the NFL (which I have stated in previous posts) . With that being said until Chris Johnson (and you) come to grips w. the fact that Chris Johnson has very few choices in this matter (a new contract not being one of them) all parties involved will fight a battle that can’t be won. The Titans will not renegotiate his salary after only two seasons. I guarantee it, not because they don’t feel Chris Johnson deserves more money, but because Chris Johnson signed a contract and the NFL is a business. Take the emotion out of the equation and you’ll see he has very few options but to honor his contract for at least one more season, hold out for the 2010 season (which would be very risky considering the looming lockout in 2011) or find employment in a new career field. It really shouldn’t be hard for you to grasp that if all the people in the world lined up to pay and watch Chris run the ball that still won’t change the fact he signed a five year contract, of which he has played two.
Again I ask you, do you really believe Chris Johnson has a right to play in the NFL?

dacdaveas says:Feb 5, 2010 11:58 PM

this is why tenn. is a joke….you had your one shot at a super bowl and you fell an inch short..just like every titans fan falls an inch short below the belt